The Broken Clocks Were a Warning
by DenizenofTwilight
Summary: In which Rhyme saves Joshua's life, learns just what he needs to intake to survive, and comes to an understanding with the Composer of Shibuya. Pointless drabble full of fluff, friendship, and a smidgen of romance. Joshyme.


**The Broken Clocks Were a Warning**

Joshua lapped at the honey the way a cat would intake its milk. And for that, Rhyme could only watch the Composer of Shibuya in astonishment, and relief.

Speaking of her much needed relief… the way Rhyme's eyes were slanting closed now, she could all too easily imagine _herself_ looking like a napping cat. Perhaps her and Joshua had a lot more in common than she'd originally thought, then?

Whatever the case, as Rhyme sat sentry on her couch—with her knees drawn up to her chest—she suddenly found herself outrageously tired. Maybe the thought of the milk had somehow given her Tryptophan, mayhaps? Truly, it was the only way it made sense for her being pulled under now.

Now, if only Joshua would fall asleep... Fall asleep, but not die. Never that. Never that...

"So honey, then? That's what Composers need to survive? Not lives, like the Reapers do?" To be quite honest, Rhyme was surprised herself, when the question left her lips. In fact, it was such that she had to blink her eyes open, startled, as she'd unwittingly pulled herself from the land of dreams.

Really, though… Rhyme had to wonder why was she asking the ashen haired boy such things, anyway. It wasn't as though he'd even give her an honest answer. He was, after all, still going to town with the bowl of honey, so why...

Perhaps it would have been rude to strip Joshua of company (especially when he was in her house, where she'd invited him); or moreover… was she talking to Joshua, despite her need of sleep, because he'd just escaped the eternal sleep?

Maybe… maybe in not hearing his voice, Rhyme feared his voice would soon be lost to her forever. Could that have been it? If so, it was certainly a troubling thought. Despite that one kiss they'd shared, the younger Bito didn't fancy the idea of being so affected by the Composer's plight. Not at all. So why did she feel as though the fabrics of their destiny were woven together, anyway?

At first, Joshua _didn't_ answer Rhyme's query (as she'd expected he wouldn't). In fact, the Composer even seemed to be hinting that he never would, when all he did was smack his lips together and lick his chops. And though Rhyme had done that herself—many times in the past, even—she didn't entertain the hope that Joshua was just trying to look more presentable, as Rhyme had.

As Neku had described on many occasions: decency was not in Joshua's arsenal. Therefore, it would have just been ludicrous to think Joshua was wiping off his mouth before answering her. No, he was just indicating further that Rhyme's question didn't matter anymore than "Shibuya space dust", wasn't he? Which was why it was far be it from Rhyme, to show her shock when Joshua actually _did_ dignify her with a response.

Flicking an ashen piece of hair out of his face, Joshua's piercing eyes landed on Rhyme's warm ones. Stretching his arm out as if to paint a clearer picture, the Composer said with a hand to his chin, "I'm quite sure you've heard talk of the Nectar of the God's, have you not, Raimu? Honey, you should know, is believed to be one such substance. I suppose I could say that's one of the reasons I require the libation, but know that I foster no illusions, that I should treat you as I do Neku."

At the last remark, Joshua regarded Rhyme with the creepiest stare she thought she'd ever had the discomfort of seeing. So why was it, then, that she didn't feel discomfort in the slightest? Why was it that she felt a warmth ignite in her heart instead?

"My survival comes from restoring life and all the things that come from it," Joshua continued on unperturbed or unbeknownst of Rhyme's reaction to him. "Since bees pollinate flowers while they live, their work proves as sustenance for me. Do you understand?"

"So, then..." Fidgeting with her bell pendant now, as Rhyme began fearing that Joshua was sucking up all her life-force or something, she was torn between throwing Joshua out as fast as she was able, or… or sympathizing with him. Was she… was she giving him life?

Though Rhyme found she couldn't really begrudge Joshua his nature, if that was the case, she would have to admit she would be more than disheartened (and very, very creeped out), to learn that was the only reason he kept her company.

And if Joshua had only been trying to gain more power by kissing her... Well, then Rhyme could only thank the heavens that Beat was still gone with his parents, via their "therapeutic" trip. If Beat saw the ridiculous tears Rhyme would cry at such knowledge, then there was surely nothing she'd be able to do, to keep Beat from wanting to beat Joshua to a pulp... And, undoubtedly, getting beaten to a pulp himself for his trials.

Beat... It was for him that she needed to stay rational, and not lose her head amidst the situation she was in. It was for him, that she couldn't let the memory of the person who gave her her bell become, well... just a memory, were he to confront Joshua.

Even so… Rhyme knew she was damned, if she thought she could stop the feelings swarming in the pit of her stomach now. Maybe… maybe she was meant to be Persephone, after all…

Leaning back against her favorite blue and white striped couch, Rhyme sighed resignedly, and faced Joshua with a blank look. And oddly enough, it was because of the lack of emotion she was feeling at the moment (when usually she could emote so well), that felt as though it were a lancet to her heart, and left her to almost crumple to the ground. _Joshua_…

"You misunderstand, Rhyme," Joshua said softly, timidly (if he could ever be such a thing), as he placed a hand to her shoulder. And if Rhyme hadn't heard the story of Joshua from everyone in their group, she might have believed he sounded besotted to her somehow? She knew better than to think that, though, of course, which was why… Which was why embarrassment was quick to shoot up to her face in waves of red, when she felt Joshua's hand latch onto her wrist, and hold onto it, like one might aim to hold onto good weather and good omens.

He would not let go.

And rather than hurting her in some way, like Rhyme had begun to think the death god might do, he began running comforting circles from her wrist, up to her forearm. It was…it was where her blood flowed, and as heat began flooding Rhyme's senses, she thought it was where Joshua meant to make her understand that he wouldn't hurt or take from her. "I do not bask in your presence to make myself well— though your symphony of Music is always appreciated, of course. Nor did I bring you back to life, to keep my own existence from flickering out, dear. While I do admit, that it keeps me from becoming our favorite kind of Static, I brought you and the other back because Shibuya needed you, and well... you're you."

With a strength Rhyme had never even known she was capable of, she was quick to disentangle the shaken Composer's fingers from her red, and throbbing (surely via the strong hold Joshua had mustered) wrist.

Then, the Bito girl took to sitting back down and looking at Joshua with a sense of peculiarity about her, because it was _all_ so peculiar. Mostly, though… Rhyme realized it was just downright awful, that Joshua could only live if another did, and yet... He had such a strong hate for life, and even worse than that… "And yet- and yet you can only bring so many back to life, huh? Otherwise… people would surely notice their resurrections. And if you live through others' lives, Joshua… well, forgive my saying so, but it can't be much of a life you live, Mr. Kiryu. Your life is every bit of a flickering flame, in its brightness and beauty, and yet… it is also vulnerable and inconstant. "

It was all so very sad—heartbreaking, even—and though Rhyme was still unsure about the feelings and concern she was beginning to feel for the lonely boy, she did have to thank the foresight that had possessed her to save him earlier. If she hadn't noted Joshua had approached her on a day that she'd bought honey for a cake… who knew where they would have been now? Who knew where Joshua might have ended up? At once, such a thought made Rhyme's heart race in her chest, and her desire to want to find somewhat to help the boy… But she bit onto her lip and fought it back, as well as all the things she wanted to, and probably should have been… saying.

"No, Rhyme, you're wrong. With the lot I've been given, my life is much stronger than even those of the living. It is for that reason that I am a Death God, but the true reason I call myself that is… because with my strange odds, and way of life… I'll be loath to waste a minute. I'll act like a God, and by doing so, I'll be one. And when my time's up… I'll never have to worry that mine wasn't a time well spent."

"No. I suppose you won't, will you?" And what Rhyme didn't say there—as she smiled sadly, and finally did find it in her to cross over to Joshua, and try to be something for him—was how she very much wished, that he'd find a way to spend some of his dwindling time with her.

And perhaps… maybe even sin a little? After all, Rhyme knew that someone such as Joshua would be loath to live without experiencing a bit of fun, and maybe…. maybe he was right. And though propriety dictated that Rhyme she should never think such a thing… she wondered if it really would be a sin, for her to die with him, if it made him happy? Whatever the case and whatever happened… Rhyme knew that she and Joshua were connected now, and there'd be no going back. Not ever.

But really… Rhyme knew she didn't even want to. If the Composer of Shibuya could only live, by giving life back to those who died, how could she ever hate him? How could she ever want to do anything, but thank him and cheer up the little boy that had given up so much? In truth, Rhyme knew that she could only ever feel positive things about Joshua now, and that she'd never doubt him again.

And as Joshua sat by Rhyme smiling timidly again (something that seemed so out of place on his face, but also somehow perfect in his encounters with her), Rhyme smiled her own assured smile at him, and she knew then, that… she wouldn't only value him, but that she'd come to love him. In time…

**Author's Note: A pointless drabble, that I found on my laptop, and decided to post for the hell of it.**

**Honestly, I do like this drabble, even if it is weird and pointless, and you guys probably have no idea what's going on. Hahaha. Blame me reading too much Game of Thrones, when I wrote this (as you can probably tell from the style of writing in it). LOL.**

**I will not be continuing this, btw, but I hope you guys enjoyed it, all the same. JOSHYME forever!**

**Also, in case you guys are confused, Joshua was dying for some reason (IDK, it has nothing to do with the story), and Rhyme found him. Just before he passed out, though, he asked for some of the honey she'd bought, and it was able to heal him (they also kissed somewhere during all of this). Then, Rhyme brought him over to her house to heal, and the rest of this story happens. **

**For those who don't understand: Joshua gets his own power and life through others' (i.e. bringing people back to life, or another living creature's creation: like honey). Because of this, though, Rhyme begins to fear that he's only around her to vamparize her strength or something, but Joshua assures her that's not the case, and the two form a camaraderie. Ta-da! **

**Also… Joshua's weird joke about Neku (in case you didn't get it) is that he'd never zap Rhyme's strength away, for his own selfish needs, but he just might Neku's. That's the: "but know that I foster no illusions, that I should treat you as I do Neku" part.** **Yeah…**

**Anyway, that's it, folks. Hope you enjoyed. Review? **

**And sorry for any mistakes: Like I said, I just found this on my laptop, and didn't really edit it, so yeah.**

**Also, this title is very obviously inspired by Lifehouse's "Broken" song. Yep…**

**-Shanna**

**P.S. I don't know if I'm too crazy about this ending, but meh.**


End file.
